Need help with out-of-state traffic citation

[JustinH]

Originally Posted By: tmorris1
If you are never going back there, just don't pay it.


I used to think this also, but it is not true, at least in New York.

I got a stupid ticket in Maryland for going out an "in" entrance of a fast food restaurant (not clearly marked).

Anyways, the officer gave me a ticket in my rental car.

I chose to not pay it. About six months later, I got a notice from my New York DMV saying that my license would be suspended on the following date due to non answering of a citation out of state.

I put in a call to the Maryland DMV number to pay the fine. Sure enough it was just a call center, the clerk didn't care how I plea, they just wanted my credit card number. The fine was $200 or something like that.

A ticket will not go on your driving record for a minor offense, but it will obviously show up if you get something major like a DWI out of state.

Another time, I was driving a 350 horsepower ford thunderbird into Carlisle PA for the Ford show. The car had a firm shifting race transmission, and would chirp the tires on hot asphalt. At about 10MPH, the car shifted into second gear, and barely chirped the tires. The Carlisle Police was a few cars behind me, and cited me for wreckless driving, and a few other offenses. I asked the cop "are you kidding me?", and explained that the car had a firm shifting transmission. He added on another fine for an unsafe car, and said he would impound the car unless I paid the fine in cash directly to him. The fine was nearly $300. Luckily I had enough cash in hand between myself and my brother.

The carlisle shows are pure money grabs for the town to shake down people coming to the show. I won't go near that awful town in the middle of nowhere again.

I have a good suspicion that the police officer just took the cash and put it in his pocket, and did the same thing over again to the next tourist.

 

[PandaBear]

Guys, remember the first rule of business: profit.

Traffic violation is the same, the cops are asked to give citations and they do it with the least invasive way to the local communities as complain letters from the locals are not good for their and their bosses' careers.

That's why they try to set speed traps on area traveled by non locals, rather than local roads.

Now knowing you are out of town, and unlikely to complain, they will be unlikely to give you a break. They are not chamber of commerce and they have no intensive on attracting tourists.

IMO as long as you can pay off and get points away from your traffic records, just go for it. They're in it for the money anyways, just pay it and get rid of the trouble. If you have to appear in person or traffic school is not an option, well, find a lawyer.

BTW, renting a larger car than used to and the entrance/exit of double solid white being too close to exit are not really good excuses, judges throw those out almost daily.

 

[ddrumman2004]

I would just pay the fine and be done with it.

Lord knows what kind of problems could show up if you just ignore it. Best be safe than fight it later!

 

[xBa380]

Thanks guys... Just went ahead and paid it.. Not much we can do.. Not worth the hassle.

Lame.

 

[Loobed]

Originally Posted By: Spazdog
I can't return to California. I have an unpaid traffic citation there for windshield obstruction.

What was "obstructing" my windshield? My state registration and inspection stickers.




In California your only violation was your ability to pay the ticket.

They will let a ******* with no insurance, no drivers license, no car registration, and an arrest warrant for failure to appear in a drunk driving trial, go for speeding because they don't have money to pay the fine. The Police/Courts don't want to waste their time/money if they are not getting a return on their investment: ie ticket/arrest.

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: Loobed
Originally Posted By: Spazdog
I can't return to California. I have an unpaid traffic citation there for windshield obstruction.

What was "obstructing" my windshield? My state registration and inspection stickers.




In California your only violation was your ability to pay the ticket.

They will let a ******* with no insurance, no drivers license, no car registration, and an arrest warrant for failure to appear in a drunk driving trial, go for speeding because they don't have money to pay the fine. The Police/Courts don't want to waste their time/money if they are not getting a return on their investment: ie ticket/arrest.



Well, that didn't work out for them at all.

I thought he wrote me the ticket because he thought I was being a smart*** when he asked me for my registration and I pointed at the sticker. I don't carry my registration. No one has ever asked for it before.

 

[mechtech2]

Right or wrong does not count.
$ does.
Try driving through Oklahoma with out of state plates! Those poor counties do whatever it takes to generate revenue.

I was driving through OK, and had a guy speed by and cut in front of me as I was pulling up to a stop light - no signal, of course. Made me lock up the brakes, swerve a bit into an adjacent lane. Then , he threw bricks at my car.
But I [Mr. out of state] got a ticket as he was allowed to simply drive away!

Cops are taught what to say in courts, and what to do to cover their derriers.

Pay the money and plea for no permanent record - maybe a driving school is an option.

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Right or wrong does not count.
$ does.
Try driving through Oklahoma with out of state plates! Those poor counties do whatever it takes to generate revenue.

I was driving through OK, and had a guy speed by and cut in front of me as I was pulling up to a stop light - no signal, of course. Made me lock up the brakes, swerve a bit into an adjacent lane. Then , he threw bricks at my car.
But I [Mr. out of state] got a ticket as he was allowed to simply drive away!

Cops are taught what to say in courts, and what to do to cover their derriers.

Pay the money and plea for no permanent record - maybe a driving school is an option.




+1000

I stand out in Oklahoma. I have a front plate. It's like a bullseye

The '80s K10 pickup with the orange dooor and two different size tires on the front axle can blast past you at 20 mph over the speed limit whipping out empty 3.2 beer cans. But the Okie trooper will pull you over because your car looks "heavily loaded" and make you empty out all your camping equipment by the side of the road looking for "drugs".

I love camping in the mountains of E Oklahoma. I love the people. I hate the troopers that are just watching for cars that have front plates.

 

[RacerE7773]

Another reason I hate front plates; just an excuse to hassle people that don't have them (in 2 tag states).

 

[onion]

I would just go ahead and pay the ticket. They got you by the balls. Even if you can successfully fight it, it'll cost you more time and money than it's worth.

 

[xBa380]

As stated above, it has been paid. We wondered if there was anything easier to do and try and fight it, but seeing that there is little to do, no sense in wasting the time and such on it.

Not a big deal... We are over it!